StateDeptcable1976-58518

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

Message Text

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 01 BOGOTA 07767 022019Z

73

ACTION ARA-10

INFO OCT-01 ISO-OO SS-15 SP-02 MMO-04 PER-03 ABF-01 NSC-05

OMB-01 A-01 SY-05 OC-06 CCO-OO ARAE-00 /054 W

104874

P 021530Z AUG 76

FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6482

UNCLAS BOGOTA 7767

E.O. 11652; N/A
TAGS: AFSP, CO

SUBJECT: REOPENING OF BARRANQUILLA
REF: STATE 133706

1 . AS DEPT IS AWARE, GEORGE PETERSON, WHO HAS BEEN ASSIGNED
AS PRINCIPAL OFFICER IN BARRANQUILLA, IS NOW IN BOGOTA ON
CONSULTATIONS. UNFORTUNATELY, HE IS WITHOUT A STAFF FOR
BARRANQUILLA, SINCE WE HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE ONLY ONE
LOCAL EMPLOYEE AND THE ADDITIONAL TWO AMERICAN PERSONNEL
HAVE EITHER NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED OR ASSIGNED.

2. SINCE THE CONSULATE OFFICES HAVE ALREADY BEEN RENTED
ALONG WITH A RESIDENCE FOR THE PRINCIPAL OFFICER AND SINCE
FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS IT WOULD BE A HARDSHIP FOR HIM TO
REMAIN LONG IN BOGOTA. WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE BEST
COURSE OF ACTION IS FOR CONSUL PETERSON AND HIS FAMILY TO
PROCEED TO BARRANQUILLA AND TAKE UP RESIDENCE THERE

ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 16. WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN THE
CONSULATE OFFICIALLY BUT OUR INTENTION IS FOR MR. PETERSON
TO PERFORM SERVICES FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS AS BEST AS HE
CAN FROM HIS RESIDENCE. IN PARTICULAR, HE WILL BE

CONCENTRATING ON PASSPORT SERVICES AND WELFARE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL
NUMBER OF AMERICAN PRISONERS IN BARRANQUILLA, CARTAGENA AND SANTA
MARTA. WE WILL BE NOTIFYING THE FOREIGN MINISTRY ACCORDINGLY.

3. THE ARRANGEMENT OUTLINED ABOVE IS OBVIOUSLY FAR FROM IDEAL
UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02 BOGOTA 07767 022019Z

AND POSES COMMUNICATIONS AND SECURITY PROBLEMS WHICH

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

JK WILL HAVE TO COPE WITH. (COMMUNICATIONS WILL BE SUBJECT
OF A SEPARATE MESSAGE.) MOREOVER, THE CONSUL WILL NATURALLY
BE UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE
SERVICES AND ATTENTION WHICH WILL BE BEYOND THE CAPACITY
OF A SINGLE OFFICER. WE HOPE, THEREFORE, THAT THERE WILL
BE MORE RAPID PROGRESS TOWARDS AUTHORIZING AND FILLING
THE AMERICAN AND LOCAL POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED.

4. IN THIS CONNECTION, WE ARE MOST CONCERNED THAT BOTH
OF THE TWO ADDITIONAL AMERICAN POSITIONS BE FILLED.

FRANKLY, WE ARE WORRIED THAT OUR COLLEAGUES IN WASHINGTON
MAY YIELD TO THE TEMPTATION OF AUTHORIZING ONLY ONE
MORE AMERICAN POSITION IN ORDER TO AVOID INCREASING THE
MISSIONS'S TOTAL AMERICAN COMPLEMENT. IF THIS WERE TO
HAPPEN, WE HERE WOULD BE FACED WITH A THREAT OF THE
DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT HAS EXISTED IN ANOTHER
CONSTITUENT POST, CALI, WHICH IS NOW BEING RESCUED
BY THE ASSIGNMENT OF A TDY OFFICER FROM SAN SALVADOR.

THE CALI EXPERIENCE HAS CONVINCED US HERE THAT A
CONSTITUENT POST WITH ONLY TWO AMERICANS IS ABLE TO
FUNCTION IN COLOMBIA FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD ONLY AT
THE COST OF SERIOUS LOSSES IN PERFORMANCE STANDARDS,

IN STAMINA, IN MORALE AND IN THE FURTHERANCE
OF US INTERESTS. MOREOVER, WE ANTICIPATE THAT AMERICANS
ASSIGNED TO BARRANQUILLA WILL FIND IT A DIFFICULT
ENOUGH PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK EVEN WITH THE FULL STAFF
COMPLEMENT WE HAVE REQUESTED.

DREXLER

UNCLASSIFIED

NNN

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

Message Attributes

Automatic Decaptioning: X

Capture Date: 01 JAN 1994

Channel Indicators: n/a

Current Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

Concepts: n/a

Control Number: n/a

Copy: SINGLE

Draft Date: 02 AUG 1976

Decaption Date: 01 JAN 1960

Decaption Note:

Disposition Action: n/a
Disposition Approved on Date:

Disposition Authority: n/a
Disposition Case Number: n/a
Disposition Comment:

Disposition Date: 01 JAN 1960
Disposition Event:

Disposition History: n/a
Disposition Reason:

Disposition Remarks:

Document Number: 1976BOGOTA07767

Document Source: CORE

Document Unique ID: 00

Drafter: n/a

Enclosure: n/a

Executive Order: N/A

Errors: N/A

Film Number: D760297-0838
From: BOGOTA
Handling Restrictions: n/a
Image Path:

ISecure: 1

Legacy Key: Iink1976/newtext/t19760897/aaaadhko.tel

Line Count: 89

Locator: TEXT ON-LINE, ON MICROFILM
Office: ACTION ARA
Original Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Original Handling Restrictions: n/a
Original Previous Classification: n/a
Original Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a
Page Count: 2

Previous Channel Indicators:

Previous Classification: n/a
Previous Handling Restrictions: n/a
Reference: 76 STATE 133706
Review Action: RELEASED, APPROVED
Review Authority: morefirh
Review Comment: n/a
Review Content Flags:

Review Date: 14 MAR 2001
Review Event:

Review Exemptions: n/a

Review History: RELEASED <14-Mar-2001 by hughespj>; APPROVED <23 JUN 2004 by morefirh>

Review Markings:

Margaret P. Grafeld
Declassified/Released
US Department of State
EO Systematic Review
04 MAY 2006

Review Media Identifier:

Review Referrals: n/a
Review Release Date: n/a
Review Release Event: n/a
Review Transfer Date:

Review Withdrawn Fields: n/a
Secure: OPEN
Status: NATIVE

Subject: REOPENING OF BARRANQUILLA
TAGS: AFSP, CO
To: STATE
Type: TE

Markings: Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006